


An Ordinary Day (snapshots from the Strip For Me verse)

by lallyloo



Series: Strip For Me [2]
Category: Eagle of the Ninth Series - Rosemary Sutcliff, The Eagle | Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-29
Updated: 2012-01-29
Packaged: 2017-10-30 07:26:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/329276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lallyloo/pseuds/lallyloo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marcus keeps saying 'I love you.' Esca has yet to say it in return.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Ordinary Day (snapshots from the Strip For Me verse)

**Author's Note:**

> A short sequel to [Strip For Me](http://archiveofourown.org/works/329277).  
> Originally posted to livejournal in October 2011.

Marcus keeps saying 'I love you.'

He means it, of course, and he can't stop himself from saying it anymore than he can stop himself from telling Esca everything. It's always been that way, since they met that first night. Marcus runs his mouth, saying what he's thinking and asking Esca everything, and Esca just laughs and gives him an amused smirk.

But Esca has yet to say it in return.

 

 **1.**  
The first time Marcus said it was the first time he agreed to let Esca fuck him.

It didn't take much convincing on Marcus's part. He was willing to give Esca anything he wanted, and by the time Esca pushed into him they were both so turned on that Marcus was coming after four or five thrusts. Esca's cock filled him, sending jolt after jolt of pleasure through his body as Esca fucked him slowly, and Marcus had barely touched himself when his cock strained and spurt across the bed.

Marcus was talking, as always, and it was only after Esca came in him and they were resting side-by-side on the bed that Marcus recalled the words that fell from his mouth. _“Fuck”_ and _“oh god”_ and _“yes, Esca, please”_ and then the final ones, as pleasure coursed through him and Esca held on, fucking into him as he came, and Marcus's voice shook as he said it -- “ _“I love you.”_

They laughed about it later, neither one mentioning it directly, and Esca kissed his face and held him close, and Marcus's face burned and he wondered what Esca was thinking, but he was too nervous to ask.

Then Esca was breathing against his neck and laughing again, and they fell asleep together.

 

 **2.**  
The second time Marcus said it was after Esca spent an entire week at Marcus's apartment.

It was Saturday, a club night, and Marcus spent the evening alone, waiting for Esca to return. Marcus had grown so used to having him there, falling asleep with Esca, waking with him by his side, driving him to work or school or wherever he needed to be, even having Esca laugh at him on Wednesday when Marcus had kept him up the night before with his snoring.

When Esca crawled into bed shortly after 3am on Saturday, his eyes were tired and he yawned as he tucked himself in against Marcus, his body heavy with exhaustion. Marcus pulled him close, and it felt so comfortable and safe to have him there that Marcus found himself whispering against Esca's neck as they fell asleep.

“I love you.”

And if Esca was still awake to hear it, he didn't reply.

 

 **3.**  
The third time Marcus said it was during a four-day period when he was ill and home from work.

Esca showed up on the second day, bringing Marcus his favorite coffee, and making him soup, and touching his forehead to check his fever. Marcus couldn't remember the last time someone had taken care of him, and he welcomed the soothing touches, and the way Esca stayed by his side and watched movies with him, and entertained himself while Marcus slept.

It happened at the height of his illness, just before his fever broke, and Esca was hovering over him again, checking his temperature and forcing him to drink orange juice, and Marcus was babbling in his fever-induced daze. He stared up at Esca from beneath a pile of blankets, and Esca was looking back at him, his face etched with concern.

“Esca, you're the best,” Marcus said, shivering beneath the blankets.

Esca touched his cheek and smiled, his concern appearing to ease as Marcus spoke.

“Go back to sleep,” he said, setting the orange juice on the table by Marcus's head. “I'll just hang out until you wake up.”

“Don't you have school?”

“I'm skipping today.”

Marcus smiled weakly, too tired to try to encourage Esca to go and not skip class for him. “I love you.”

If Esca responded, Marcus missed it. Sleep took him after the words left his mouth, and by the time he woke his fever was gone and Esca was sound asleep next to him.

 

 **4.**  
The fourth time Marcus said it was the day he gave Esca a key to his apartment.

He'd had the key cut a week or two before, but he was nervous about giving it to Esca. What if Esca refused, or laughed at him, or took it without much reaction one way or the other? Marcus wasn't sure which of those responses would be worse, and he was nervous as he handed the key to Esca.

Esca had taken it, turning it over in his hand before smiling at Marcus. “You sure you want to do this?”

Marcus could feel his heart sink, but he forced out a laugh. “Yeah,” he paused, watching Esca, “why?”

“Well it means I'll be here all the time. Five a.m., I'll be at your door. When you're at work, I'll be here, going through your things.” Esca grinned. “There's no escaping me now.”

Marcus sighed with relief. “Fuck, I love you,” he said, pulling Esca into a hug. Esca's arms went around Marcus, the key still tight in Esca's grip. “Go through my stuff. Do whatever you want. I want you to be able to be here whenever you want to be here.”

“You might regret that,” Esca joked against Marcus's shoulder.

“Trust me, I won't.”

 

 **5.**  
The fifth time Marcus said it was the same night as their first proper fight.

Esca had shown up at 1am with a tiny gray kitten under his arm. It was a stray that had been wandering behind the club, and after watching it for three nights Esca decided to catch it and bring it home – to Marcus.

It resulted in raised voices, and yelling, with Marcus arguing that he wasn't allowed pets in his building and it was likely to destroy his furniture, and Esca retorting that he didn't trust his flatmates with a cat, and since when did Marcus care about material possessions anyway?

In the end, Marcus realized he was fighting a losing battle against keeping the kitten. Esca had already named it, and he was concerned about the kitten's safety, and it was all so sweet that Marcus couldn't bring himself to keep saying no.

When they finally stopped arguing and went to bed, the kitten curled up on Marcus's chest, and Esca looked up at him with a wicked grin on his face.

“Cute, yeah?”

Marcus frowned. “You used to call me cute.”

“You're still fucking cute. Even more so with a kitten on you.”

“You really want to keep it?”

“Yeah,” Esca reached over to pet the animal, and Marcus could feel its soft purrs vibrating against his chest. “And I bet you'll grow to like him, maybe more than me, even.”

“I could never love a cat more than I love you,” Marcus mumbled.

“That wasn't what I meant,” Esca laughed softly, “I meant you'll like him more than I like him.”

“We'll see,” Marcus said, and he was only slightly irked that Esca avoided the words again. He tried to ignore whatever implications he could read into it, because it was very cozy with the two of them in bed and the tiny kitten in between. Marcus rubbed behind the kitten's ear, and it leaned into his touch, letting out a soft mew. “Maybe.”

 

 **+1**  
The first time Esca says it is just an ordinary day.

Marcus has to work a week of overtime, and on the last night he arrives home to find Esca sleeping on his couch. Marcus smiles when he notices a gray ball of fluff curled up on Esca's stomach, and he gives the cat a quick pet before shooing it away and leaning over Esca.

“Hey.”

Esca takes a quick breath, opening one eye and grinning when he catches sight of Marcus. “Hey.”

He shifts, yawns, stretches, and then reaches out to pull Marcus in for a hug. Marcus goes willingly, resting against Esca's chest.

“I'm glad you're home,” Esca's breath is soft and warm against Marcus's hair, and Marcus doesn't have to see him to know he's smiling. He yawns again, not letting Marcus go. “I love you.”

Marcus is stunned, and he's glad Esca can't see his face because he knows he's blushing. “Yeah?” he asks, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Yeah, you know I do.”

Marcus wants to ask how long he has, and when did he realize, and why hasn't he said it before, but then Marcus remembers a talk he once had with his uncle – about over-analyzing and not being able to see what's in front of his face.

He feels like he should call his uncle and tell him he was right, because it's been there all along and Marcus couldn't see it until now. Esca's loved him for a long time, and although he doesn't say it as often as Marcus, it doesn't make it any less true.

There aren't any fireworks, or huge declarations. But, for Marcus, it's spectacular nonetheless.

**Author's Note:**

> Finale to this verse - [I Think I Wanna Marry You](http://archiveofourown.org/works/329275)


End file.
